The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1887-11-02
Grand Jury Pgeseztn.lent.
STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA,
CLARENDON COUNTY.


ing.
this their final presentnent. VI
the many duties devolving upon
Ms as citizens, we know of none
that involve more weighty ana un-
pleasant responsibilities, ii tightly
and conscientiously performed;
than that Of serving as a Grand
.T,,ror. Matters OF grave im2or-
lance have been submitted tof our
consideration, but through all we
have tried to do our duty as we
conceived it in a strict accordance
WI the solemn oaths resting up
on US. vt the May Term a part cl
our presentment was as follows:
Owing to the busy season Jurors
can only attend their duties with
great Inconvenience andpecunlary
loss. Many and various matters
Of weight and Importance have
thus been postponed until an OPP
Dorture time when it is proposed
10 enter intoan elaborate and ex-
haustive Investigation Of all affairs
in which the County is Interested.
lit meets with your Honors ap-
probation we have this day ap-
pointed F. P. Cooper, T. 4. Bra!!s-
ford and ". +. Butler, a commit
tee of investigation with full pow
ers to examine the various Offices,
Poor House, Jail, etc. These, to-
getner with other recommends
lions, met with Judge Kershaw's
"hearty endorsement" This COM
n1ittee met at the c. II. Aug. lst,
and we will briefly give the result
of cur work. We first visited the
Poor House, which is situated
about three miles South Of this
town. The tract contains 175 acres,
valued at $500; about 80 acres
cleared. One large building Of six
rooms occupied by the Sup't, Peter
Ridgeway, and two long low build
ings on either side, each contain
ing seven rooms, occupied by the
paupers. We visited these
paupers, and can never forget the
sight presented to us. 4 class Of
human beings divested of hope,
ambition, pride and all that makes
life dear-the recipients OF the
County's bounty, only awaiting the
hour "when the silver cord viii be
loosed,' to FL pauper's grave.
We found eighteen inmates-niae
females, six males and three child
ren-all whites. The average
weekly cost of supporting each pau
Der is 80 cents. Their weekly ra-
lions consist of meal, bacon, sugar,
soda, tobacco and soap. They do
their own cooking and washing,
and when Sick must take care Of
themselves as best they can. The
Supt. receives $119 salary: and q
iaborer's rations. He is allowed to
cultivate all the cleared land, but
the produce Of seven acres is used
for the benefit Of the paupers-he
paying all necessary expenses. He
is required to haul ell WOOD for the
Poor House, and to have q general
supervision of the inmates. The
physician, Dr.. Jno. I. Ingram, re-
ceives $120 salary, and furnishesail
necessary medicine; the paupers
spoke of him in tha-kindeSt- saaAa,-
ner. He has been prompt in at
tending every call. They are un-
der no restraint, and nothing is re-
CURED Of them. The Poor House
will cost the County at least $1,000
this year. We think this system is
all wrong. a Poor House should
not be a habitation for the Ia
~, tl.e thriftiess, the sluggard,
but it should be ho$pital-a place
for the Sick, the aged, the indrm,
We recommend that the farm be
sold and smaller place be pur-
chased nearer town-that q COM
mon mess-hall be established, and
a cook hired; that the superintend-
.-n: be required to keep q strict
watch over the inmates, and not
allow them, on any occasion, to &C
beyond certain bounds, and admit
no one except by the written per-
mission Of the Chairman Of Board
of County Commissioners; TO re-
quire those who are able to work
u vegetable garden--raise poultry,
and nurse the sick. If these rec
ommendations cannot be carried
out on the ground Of expense, then
for heaUen's sake abolish the whole
system; sell the land, and o5liter-
ate this standing monument OF dis
grace erected by alien hands-a
blot upon our civilization.
The Sheriffs Office was found in
good condition. We made a care
ful examination OF his books, and
found them correct. All moneys
collected have been promptly paid
over. We have heard no com
plants against the present incucl-
bent We think it a great hard
ship upon our Sheriff to have to
furnish his own money in advance
OF the tax collection to do the
CouEty's work, thereby compelling
him to sacrifice his paper at a heavy
discount. The Co, Com. should be
allowed to borrow money in the
name Of the County to meet the
pressing demands of this Office.
We would like to call the atten-
ton of the Court to the fact that
there is no limit fixed by law to